SWIFT TRANSPORTATION CO., INC. COMPLETES
            THE ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN ASSETS OF DIRECT TRANSIT, INC.
                      AND THE PURCHASE OF REVENUE EQUIPMENT



Phoenix,  AZ - April 11, 1997 -- Swift  Transportation  Co.,  Inc.  (NASDAQ-NMS:
SWFT)  announced  that it has completed  its  acquisition  of certain  assets of
Direct  Transit,  Inc.  ("DTI"),  a Debtor-  In-  Possession  in  United  States
Bankruptcy  Court. On January 10, 1997, the Company signed a letter of intent to
acquire  certain  assets of DTI.  DTI is a dry van carrier  based in North Sioux
City, South Dakota and operates  predominantly in the eastern  two-thirds of the
United  States.  Swift  acquired  inventory,  furniture  and  office  equipment,
computer equipment and miscellaneous assets from DTI for $3 million. Also, Swift
paid $1 million to the principal  shareholder  of DTI in exchange for a covenant
not to compete.  Separately, Swift acquired 565 tractors and 1,622 trailers from
various lessors.  Certain of the revenue equipment was purchased for $28 million
and new lease agreements were finalized on $11 million of revenue equipment. The
purchase  price was reduced from the previously  disclosed  price of $54 million
primarily due to a reduction in the amount of revenue equipment acquired.

Swift is the holding  company for Swift  Transportation  Co.,  Inc., a truckload
carrier  headquartered  in  Phoenix,   Arizona.  Swift  is  the  fourth  largest
publicly-held  national  truckload  carrier in the United  States with  regional
operations throughout the continental United States.





                Contact: Jerry Moyes, President, or Bill Riley,
                     CFO of Swift Transportation Co., Inc.
                                 (602) 269-9700